Just Like New; The Recent Adventures of Tommy

Not too long ago now, I received “Tommy” back from the shop – Foster’s Violin Shop in Orange, to be exact. (And, yes, my violin has a name…doesn’t yours?)

I took the plunge, and I purchased and had installed my very own set of Knilling‘s Planetary Perfection Pegs! Since I’ve started taking Baroque violin lessons at CGU – which utilizes a lower tuning based on an A, not at the typical-modern 440hz, but at a startling 415hz – I’ve had to tune my poor instrument back and forth between the two A’s multiple times a week, depending on whether I was playing Baroque or modern style. As you can imagine, what with my Tommy being around 100 years old and his pegs starting to wear through the peg-holes, this constant tuning back and forth was not the smoothest and easiest thing to do! So, what better time than to try out those Planetary Pegs for myself!

After using them now for several weeks, I have to say that I just love how easy it is to tune now. I also enjoy the fine tuning capabilities of the pegs; I can make very slight, very fine intonation adjustments, and the tuning stays in place, for the most part. I am a very pleased customer! 😀

(You can see, if you look closely inside the pegbox, along the inner walls there are bumps into which the pegs fit – say hello to hidden gear technology!)

And that’s not all! Roger Foster kindly repaired my bridge as well, so now my strings are sounding brighter and louder than ever!

Well, while Tommy was in the shop getting everything done, I had to play on a spare fiddle during rehearsals and lessons in the meantime; while doing so, I decided that I much preferred the fit of the chin rest on the other fiddle (his name is Herman, in case you’re wondering). Observe Tommy’s bare wood, devoid of his old chin rest!

When I got Tommy back from the shop, I promptly switched chin rests.

Finally, Tommy is as good as new, yet still with his glorious old tone! 🙂